ST. LOUIS (AP) -- Tony La Russa is saying great things about Scott Rolen about this winter. The St. Louis manager just isn't saying them to his star third baseman.

Caught up in a feud during the Cardinals' run to the World Series, the two strong-willed personalities have been silent around each other since winning the championship.

ADVERTISEMENT"We haven't talked, we haven't spoken," Rolen said. "I went home and we went about our lives. I don't think there's a conversation that's going to take place."

Rolen was absent from a fans' dinner in St. Louis this week because of a conflict. La Russa accepted an award in the All-Star's place.

"I love Scott Rolen," La Russa said.

When a glove autographed by Rolen was auctioned, La Russa began the bidding at $1,000.

Their problems started in the stretch when Rolen ignored advice from La Russa and the team's medical staff. Rolen insisted on playing despite being hampered by soreness in his surgically repaired left shoulder, and he slumped in September.

Rolen began the playoffs in a 1-for-15 rut, prompting La Russa to bench him the Gold Glover in two games.

Rolen bounced back in the World Series, leading the Cardinals with a .421 average, 14 total bases and five runs scored as they beat Detroit in five games.

"When he's healthy, he's proven that if he can play enough years he will join the great Cardinals in the Hall of Fame," La Russa said. "We're really hoping he has that kind of season and career for us."

A month away from the start of spring training, Rolen said he's feeling fine.

"I'm a different guy sitting here today than last offseason when I was hopeful and optimistic," Rolen said. "I'm doing everything I've done in the past. I'm totally free from any limitations."

It's just two guys who both have a lot of pride. This isn't the same as La Russa and Steve Kline or the stuff that happened in Toronto last season. This is nowhere near as bad as the baseball writers are making it out to be.

...Boston papers now and then suffer a sharp flurry of arithmetic on this score; indeed, for Williams to have distributed all his hits so they did nobody else any good would constitute a feat of placement unparalleled in the annals of selfishness. -Updike

ESPN.com wrote:The feud between Tony La Russa and Scott Rolen has apparently reached its end for the defending World Series champions, according to a published report.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that four-time manager of the year La Russa and third baseman Rolen exchanged a handshake outside La Russa's office on Thursday.

During last October's playoff push, it was widely reported the two talked past each other during their victory over the Tigers. The situation originally escalated after La Russa benched Rolen for Game 4 of the Division Series against the San Diego Padres.

"It's not an issue. We've got other things to concern ourselves with now, like how to get ready to win ballgames," La Russa told the Post-Dispatch on Friday afternoon.

General manager Walt Jocketty helped broker the truce, according to the report.

The Cardinals open their spring schedule Tuesday against the Florida Marlins.

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